Tech and commerce aligned to drive growth
Sunweb Group, the European travel company behind Sunweb and Eliza was here, has appointed Alan French as Chief Product & Technology Officer (CPTO), effective 11 May 2026. Joining the management team, the company says the move strengthens its strategic focus by combining commercial insight with technological expertise. French, who has held senior leadership roles at Thomas Cook and eSky Group, brings extensive experience in digital transformation and commercial strategy as the business looks to sharpen its competitive edge in Europe.
In the CPTO role, French will be tasked with translating the company’s technology vision into measurable commercial growth at a time when rapid advances in AI, digitalisation and data-driven travel solutions are reshaping the sector. The group emphasises striking the right balance between product innovation and commercial objectives, aiming to make technology a core driver rather than a mere support function, while improving the customer experience from search to destination.
“The travel industry is evolving at an incredible pace. My ambition is to stay ahead of those technological developments while keeping a strong focus on our commercial goals and delivering the best possible holiday experience for our customers.”
Against a backdrop of swift industry change driven by generative AI, automation and advanced behavioural analytics, Sunweb Group argues that tighter alignment between product, technology and commerce will underpin its next phase of growth. French’s profile, known for bringing a business lens to technology, is expected to connect data use, packaged offers and customer satisfaction more closely, enabling the company to read demand signals faster and respond in near real time while keeping sight of what travellers value.
Lars Löfgren, interim chief executive of Sunweb Group, said: “Alan knows the travel industry inside out and understands better than anyone how technology and commercial growth reinforce each other. Digitalization improves the travel experience—from simplifying the booking process to providing the right information at the right moment. By using data more effectively, we can quickly understand what travellers want and act on it immediately. This enables us to keep innovating while staying focused on what truly matters to our customers, both during the booking journey and at the destination.”
Founded in 1991 in the Netherlands, Sunweb Group welcomes around 1.3 million travellers each year and generates approximately €1.2 billion in annual revenue. The group employs more than 450 people across seven hubs in Europe, is headquartered in Rotterdam and, alongside Sunweb, operates Eliza was here, a boutique brand active in the Netherlands and Flanders. Sunweb Group was acquired in March 2019 by Swedish investment firm Triton.
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